1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to a developer unit provided with a memory for collectively managing various items associated with the developer such as the management of the developer unit, the use and exchange period of the developer, and the prevention of use of inferior developers, and a method of operating an image forming apparatus using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus reproduces characters or images on a recording medium according to a transmitted character or image data signal. This image forming apparatus generally includes a photoreceptor (e.g., a photoreceptor drum or a photoreceptor belt) for forming a latent electrostatic image, a charging device for charging the photoreceptor, an exposing device for exposing the charged photoreceptor to light to selectively remove the charge of the charged photoreceptor, and forming a latent electrostatic image of a predetermined pattern, a developing device for developing the latent electrostatic image by supplying a developing medium (e.g., a toner or a developing solution) onto the exposed latent electrostatic image, and a transcribing device for transcribing a developed image to a recording medium.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a general image forming apparatus.
Referring to FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus includes a photoreceptor belt 104, a charge removing device 105, charging devices 106a through 106d, exposing devices 107, 108, 109, and 110, developing devices 111, 112, 113, and 114, a drying device 115, and a transcribing device 116. Here, the photoreceptor belt 104 is installed to be capable of being circulated by first, second, and third belt rollers 101, 102, and 103. The charge removing device 105 removes the charge existing in the photoreceptor belt 104. The charging devices 106a through 106d newly charge the photoreceptor belt 104. Each of the exposing devices 107, 108, 109, and 110 has a laser scanning unit (not shown) for irradiating a laser beam to selectively remove the charge existing in an image forming area of the charged photoreceptor belt 104 in an image-shaped pattern in order to form a latent electrostatic image. The developing devices 111, 112, 113, and 114 develop a latent electrostatic image formed on the photoreceptor belt 104 using a developing solution. The drying device 115 dries the developing solution coated on the latent electrostatic image. The transcribing device 116 transcribes an arbitrary developed image formed on the photoreceptor belt 104 to the recording medium 117 such as a recording paper or a film.
Here, the developing device 111 is comprised of a developing roller 111a for coating a developing solution on the photoreceptor belt 104, a developing solution supplier 111b for supplying the developing solution to the developing roller 111a, a cleaning roller 111c for removing the developing solution from the rear surface of the developing roller 111a, first and second squeegee rollers 111d and 111e for removing the residual developing solution from the photoreceptor belt 104, first and second blades 111f and 111g for removing the developing solution from the first and second squeegee rollers 111d and 111e, and a developing solution collecting vessel 111h for collecting the removed developing solution. The drying device is provided with a drying roller 115h for drying the developing solution from the photoreceptor belt 104, and heating rollers 115i and 115j. The transcribing device 116 is comprised of a transcribing roller 116t which receives an image transcribed by the photoreceptor belt 104 by rotating in tight contact with the first belt roller 101 having the photoreceptor belt 104 therebetween, and a settle roller 116p for settling an image transcribed to the transcribing roller 116t on the recording paper 117.
A wet developing device adopted in such an image forming apparatus, particularly, a wet image forming apparatus, includes a developing unit for developing the photoreceptor belt by directly coating a developing solution thereon, and a developing solution supply unit for continuously supplying a developing solution having a predetermined concentration to the developing unit. A solution, in which the concentration of a powder toner is diluted by mixing a liquid carrier in a concentrated ink solution containing the powder toner, is used as the developing solution for the wet developing device. The concentrated ink solution is generally filled in a cartridge-type developer unit. Such a developer unit is loaded on an image forming apparatus and supplies a developing solution to a developing solution supplying unit. The developing solution supplying unit includes an ink storage tank for storing a concentrated ink solution provided to the developer unit, a carrier storage tank for storing the carrier, and a circulating tank for storing the developing solution having a concentrated ink solution and carrier mixed at an appropriate rate to be supplied to the developing unit. An agitator, for constantly maintaining the concentration of a solution by agitating the solution stored in the ink cartridge and the circulating tank to prevent the powder toner in the solution from being settled, may be Installed on each of the ink storage tank and the circulating tank.
As shown in FIG. 2, such an image forming apparatus, i.e., a printer 205, receives printing data from a computer 201 via a communications interface 204 and performs printing. Here, a control circuit portion 208a as shown in FIG. 3 controls the supply of a developer (from a developer supplying unit 208e) in which already-supplied concentrated ink solution and carrier are mixed in an appropriate ratio, and also controls each control unit in the system according to system setting conditions stored in a memory 208f. This image forming apparatus keeps determined system setting conditions and process, so that the control circuit portion 208a cannot perform smooth control when a different concentrated ink solution or carrier is supplied. As a consequence, the printing quality becomes degraded. Also, when the component and characteristics of ink or carrier are improved to enhance a conventional printing quality, the system setting conditions fixed as described above prevent use of the improved ink or carrier. In FIGS. 2 and 3, reference numeral 202 denotes an application program, reference numeral 203 is a printer driving program, reference numeral 206 is a printer controller board, reference numeral 207 is a manipulation panel, reference numeral 207b is a manipulation button, reference numeral 207w is a display unit, reference numeral 208b denotes an instrument driving/sensing portion, reference numeral 208c denotes an instrumental portion, and reference numeral 208d denotes a power supply portion.